The invention relates to a tape recorder and/or playback apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a tape recorder), which comprises a capstan which cooperates with a pressure roller arranged on an arm to transport the tape. The arm for the roller is pivotable about a pivoting axis so as to enable the pressure roller to be moved between at least one rest position and an operating position, in which positions the pressure roller is respectively spaced from and positioned against the capstan. The arm is connected by a resilient element to a lever which is pivotable about pivoting axis together with the arm. For pivoting, the lever cooperates with an actuating device, the lever being also pivotable relative to the arm and by the tension of the resilient element urging the pressure roller against the capstan in the operating position. In an apparatus of this type, known from German Patent Specification No. 12 66 527, the arm and the lever are mounted so as to be pivotable only about one axis. Depending upon the selected lever transmission, this arrangement provides both the displacement to be performed by the actuating device for moving the pressure roller from the rest position to the operating position and the force to be produced by the actuating device for tensioning the resilient element, which provides the pressure for urging the pressure roller against the capstan. It is then often desirable that said displacement of the lever on which the actuating device acts is minimal and the force required for tensioning the resilient element is also minimal, which requirements are in principle conflicting in the case of a single lever.